Jake's Joggers

An idea is born:

When I was looking for a 5-K to help with my training for the Bear Lake Half I learned about an Autism Speaks race at Ascarate Park. I had previously been talking with two women at work , one with a 10-year old son who has autism and one with a 3-year old granddaughter just recently diagnosed. We talked about the event, a 5K run/1 mile walk, and they had enough interest in it for me to go ahead and form a team. Autism Speaks is an organization that focuses on autism awareness, screening and advocacy, a worthy cause indeed, and all the proceeds go to the organization! The team was created in honor of Jake, and he and Brei worked out the team's name: 

People loved learning about Jake from the information on the back of the entry form - I'm pretty sure it's what made people want to sign up. And I love the picture he and his mom chose for me to use!

                                                              Who’s Jake?

                        Jake is an incredible 10-year old boy. When he was 15 months old he could say the alphabet – forward & backwardS, and in French! He could count backwards from 100 faster than his grandmother. Today he loves school, reading, creating mazes and diagramming video games.

                       Jake was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, and because of his amazing attitude and that of his parents, as well as a strong support team in his school he is a thriving 5^th grader. He participates in spelling bees, scouting, music and sports. He has many friends of every age.

                       He would love to have you join his team and walk or run to show your support for Autism Speaks on March 31, 2012.

Some of the people who wanted to sign up weren't able to because of conflicts, but it was pretty exciting to end up with 12 people on our team. Goodie bags seemed like an appropriate way to thank them for their support.  

 

 

 

Meet the team:

Juliana, who unwittingly became my right-hand man

Adrianna, Ann and Peggy (Alice is missing from picture)

The Cousins - Mary Louise and Scott

New Friends - Gloria and Astrid

(Astrid's mom is our receptionist)

The Gym Rats - Victor, Buddy and Estrella

Starting Line

 

And we're off - 184 runners strong!

Victor and Buddy cross the finish line first for Jake's Joggers (24:16!)

Almost at the finish line when Juliana surprises me from the sidelines

(which hopefully explains my goofy expression)

Estrella (aka Star Bright!) heads to the finish line

The women from Jensen Harmon & Co.

Who says accountants don't know how to have fun?

Gloria and Astrid got caught in some nasty construction traffic, arriving just as the gun went off, so they didn't have their numbers pinned on and didn't get an official time. This was their first race and they loved it. They are training for the Bataan Death March Marathon in one year. The way they ran today tells me they are going to do great!

A Surprise Ending:

Gold for Jake!!!

(And home in time to watch the first session of General Conference!)

To Celebrate

I'm just wondering how things are done in the spirit world. Do they celebrate the mortal birth and the birth we call death? We hear conference talks from time to time reminding us to celebrate life's important events, including birthdays and anniversaries, so I have come to the conclusion that they will be important even after this life. And I'm wondering how it will be done - angel food cake? (Is there such a thing as chocolate angel food cake?!?)

Aunt Lois, Uncle Lynn, Uncle Duane, Dad

Today is the first time I won't be able to wish my dad "Happy Birthday" and tell him what a great dad he is and how much I love him (and miss him). I'm sure that when I was a little girl I would make him cards, and that as I grew older I would spend some of my babysitting money to buy him some kind of a gift. I remember making him a pretty cool coin dish when I was in 6th grade.  I think most of the presents I have given him in my adult years have been either clothing or books. So original. Last year I was able to visit close to his birthday and made him an apple pie, and I felt like that may have been the best birthday present I had ever given him.

How does a daughter ever say or do enough to express recognition and appreciation for all the sacrifices a dad makes? For being a dad who taught the importance of work and play? For the example he set of treating every person as someone of value and worth? For appreciating the beauty of this world and providing every possible opportunity to explore and discover together? For being funny and strong and patient and long-suffering? For loving my mother and treating her royally, which sometimes meant being a royal tease. I can't, I simply can't. But, oh, how grateful I am that I have so many wonderful experiences that I draw on daily, and I know that the example he set is one I will always be trying to follow. As my sister, Sandy, said at his funeral, "His humility probably kept him from knowing that he was one of the world's great men." 

  

A few simple memories that have been on my mind most recently: 

• My dad taught swimming at Granite High School, and for several years my brother, sisters and I would go with him and take lessons. I tried so hard to be able to make it into his advanced swimming classes and lifesaving classes but didn't ever succeed. He never made me feel like I wasn't good enough, though. 
• Early summer mornings when we lived on Oakwood Street I remember going into our back yard and picking raspberries and peaches with him for breakfast, as well as helping him irrigate.

• He and my mom pulled off some pretty spectacular Halloween parties. Once he was a mad scientist, complete with some crazy zapping thing that scared the heebie jeebies out of most of us little kids. Another time they put together a huge maze out of appliance boxes that went through most of our house. Kids had to find their way out before they could get their candy. (My sister, Janis, continues the tradition, and the year she didn't do it she got in trouble with all her neighbors.)
• I was about five when Dad decided I could handle a fishing trip. I was sooooo excited! Before I went to bed I set my clothes out. I did not like it that he woke me up so early, though, it was still dark. And I couldn't wear the cute outfit I had picked out because it was too nice. And then we had to drive f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to get to a lake in the middle of n.o.w.h.e.r.e. (Strawberry Reservoir). And then we had to launch the boat, and that was b.o.r.i.n.g. And then we sat on the lake f.o.r.e.v.e.r, and that was b.o.r.i.n.g. But then I caught a fish! And everyone was really happy for me - until it was reeled in and discovered to be a carp. Garbage fish. I had caught garbage, and so it was thrown back into the lake. Then my dad and my Uncle Duane caught some fish, and they got to keep theirs. And then I had another bite! And it was another carp. That was when I decided fishing was really dumb and I couldn't wait for the day to end. Even though I have never made any effort to try fishing again I have always appreciated my dad's love for the sport and his patience in trying to teach me to love it too. He never made me feel bad for being a bad sport on that trip, and he never tried to convince me to try it again. When we would go to Flaming Gorge to fish I learned to love being able to hike around the lake and enjoy everything else but the fishing. And I definitely loved eating the catch of the day.
• The first time he pulled me up on a slalom ski I think he was just as excited about it as I was. I can't wait to hear him say, "Atta boy, girl!" again.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

 My new tradition to celebrate my dad's birthday: making an apple pie with Granny Smith apples, served with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese,

and rounding up a crowd to play a game of Mexican Rummy.

Full Speed Ahead in Reverse

The name of this blog was not chosen to be cute. It was chosen because I know that I am consistently inconsistent. I have a whole lot of catching up to do, and decided that at this point the most logical way to go about it is to go backwards as quickly as possible. Don't hold your breath, but my goal is to be more or less caught up in the next week....or two.....or three.

St. George/Zion's

Flying into St. George is an adventure, only in part because of the stand-by risks. If I can catch the non-stop to LA (where I always treat myself to some divine butternut squash soup at Wolfgang Puck's) and if I can get on the turbo prop to St. George it's a nifty little trip. I leave El Paso around 1pm and land in St. George about 7:30pm. Driving would take twice as long, plus the cost of gas and wear & tear on a car. Using my travel benefits (thanks, Soren!) is so much better.

 

St. George has a very impressive new airport with magnificient scenery.

The descent after passing over Las Vegas is beautiful.

 I arrived the day before the "Thunder Over Utah" airshow.

I loved seeing all the cool equipment.

Mom, Sandy & Dylan picked me up. I was so happy that I could spend some time with my big sister and some of her family!

Saturday we headed to Zion's National Park. I hadn't been there since I was so young I don't have any memory of being there. What an absolutely beautiful area. I know I wouldn't mind living in a little cabin tucked away in a remote canyon. The skies were overcast but the weather was very comfortable.

Andy - love that smile!

Kia doesn't just point and shoot

Dylan is mastering Maori poi balls

Eric*, Sandy, Andy, Kia & Dylan

*Kia has a boyfriend! He's very charming!

The "kids" and I hiked the Emerald Pools Loop (no, there wasn't a yellow brick road) while mom and Sandy rested. I love these massive, solid rocks that range in color from red to orange to gray to black, and everything in between.  

We came around a sharp bend in the trail and arrived at the upper pool. The sheer rock walls almost surrounded us, rising up at least 125-150 feet. A waterfall was cascading down through a crevice with a lone tree standing guard. There was enough of a breeze to blow most of the water away - instead of falling into the pool it was turning into a mist that blew along the flat surface of the rock cliff. It was absolutely breathtaking. And the battery in my camera was almost dead. I took 2 or 3 pictures and then decided to just enjoy the beauty.

photo by Kia

Heading back we found ourselves on a trail that took us underneath a waterfall, but because of the way the wind was blowing there was one portion of the trail that was almost constantly being sprayed by water. We realized that if we timed it just right we might be able to run through the area without getting soaked. That was so much fun!

Beauty abounded, and my camera even let me take an occasional picture to prove it.

By the time we hiked out we were pretty hungry. Andy recommended a great restaurant in the little town just outside the park, and we stuffed ourselves with all sorts of good food - fish tacos (yum!!), massive hamburgers, ribs, steak, and enchiladas. There certainly was nothing to complain about!

Sunday morning after a breakfast of blueberry pancakes and bacon, Sandy & Crew headed north in the hopes of beating a snowstorm (they made it!). Following church, mom and I had a really nice visit with Aunt Judy. She had a box of postcards, many of them correspondence between my Great Aunt Mame and her brother, William, which were wonderful to look through. We also were able to visit with my Aunt Dolores and her husband, Don, which was such a treat as it has been years since I've seen them. She is recovering from a very serious infection in her knee and still has a ways to go, but hopefully is through the worst of it.

Monday was spent doing some little things to help mom around the house and then we got into the real fun - digging through some boxes of pictures and letters. Oh, what treasures! I sorely wanted to put them all in my suitcase and bring them home so that I could savor them. We found some tender letters that my grandparents had written to each other in the months before their wedding; the talk my grandmother gave when she was valedictorian for her high school graduation from Carbon High School (Price, Utah); a picture of Aunt Mame and the other sister missionaries she served with in the Northern States Mission in the early 1900's; and more. Oh my, it was a delicious afternoon! I love my family!

Tuesday found me heading home, much sooner than I would have liked. Sigh. Getting out of St. George on a plane wasn't possible, so I took the 2-hour shuttle to Las Vegas. 7 hours waiting in the airport and at least that many flights with no room for a stand-by passenger later I finally was able to get on a non-stop to El Paso. And that is the novelty of stand-by travel. Trust me, I am not complaining.

A short but very sweet trip; I seem to manage a lot of them, and am indeed grateful that I can. Sadly, no pictures of my beautiful, amazing mother from this trip, but I loved being with her.  I'll just throw in one of my favorites from our family trip to Bolivia: